Improvement in bottle-stopper holders



1T. METZGER Bottle-Stopper Holder 'No. 198,992. Patented Jan. 8,1878.

N. PETERS, PHDTQ-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHiNGTDN, D Cv UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE.

JACOB METZGER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOTTLE-STOPPER HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 198,992, dated January 8, 1878; application filed December 15, 1877.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JACOB METZGER, of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented certain Improvements in Bottling Effervescing Liquids, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to corking and retaining the corks in bottles containing efl'ervescing liquids, as beer, &c. 5 and it consists in a device, hereinafter more fully described, for holding the corks firmly in the mouth of the bottle until the lower portion is fully expanded and set in the tapering neck by the pressure of the gases contained in the liquid; the object being to secure the cork with sufficient firmmess to avoid the expense and labor of wiring or otherwise tying, and at the same time to more effectually prevent leakage, thereby preserving the contained liquid in better condition than is commonly done, and diminishing the percentage of loss.

In securing corks by wire or other means of tying, it is not practicable to strain the wire or string so tightly as to prevent its being driven out more or less by the pressure of the gases contained in the liquid, and this necessitates the use of longer corks and those of better quality than would be required to prevent the escape of the gas. By the use of this device the corks are compressed vertically by the steaming or fermentation, so as to expand their lower ends laterally to fill the tapering neck of the bottle, and at the same time close the pores, so as to render it quite practicable to use not-only shorter corks, but those also of a cheaper quality, thereby efiecting considerable reduction in the cost of bottling.

It is not claimed that this mode of corking will dispense altogether with wiring bottles that are designed to be transported long distances, or that are kept a considerable time exposed to high temperatures; but as the corks better manner, the tying may be of a lighter and cheaper character. The device, however, is so cheap that bottlers of ale, mineral waters, champagne, cider, &c., for present use may employ them to retain the corks instead of ty ing, the holders to be preserved and returned with the bottles. I

While being suited to bottling all kinds of effervescing liquids, this device is especially adapted to bottling beer, when steam or other heat is applied to the bottles after being filled and corked, in order to destroy any remaining elements of fermentation, but at the same time to fully preserve the contained carbonic-acid gas.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation of a cork-holder embodying my invention, as applied to a bottle. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the center of the same.

The device is a hinged clamp, having semicircular jaws A A, formed to fit under the base of the flange, just below the mouth of the bottle; two semicircular plates or disks, B B, arranged above the jaws, so as to rest nearly or quite upon the top or mouth of the bottle; levers G O, by which to open the jaws; and a spring, D, to hold the clamp closed when placed on the bottle.

The cork-holder is placed upon the neck of the bottle, as shown, to remain, after steaming, until cool.

It may be made in other forms, as, for instance, constructing it so that the levers 0 project horizontally, the jaws A and plates B retaining the position shown.

I claim as my invent1on The cork-holder composed of the jaws A, 

